Horseshoes and Victory

"The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord." Proverbs 21:31. 

I admire the stamina and grace that horses seem to show when they move. Stories about their help in battle, their beauty and even their companionship draw me in. Simply, I admire strength and beauty. Yet, God has greater strength and beauty than anyone or anything else I can find.

Nothing compares to His love and might. God not only is courageous and victorious over darkness, but also He has this reputation of displaying great heart as He relentlessly pursues people to come to know and trust in Him. This Savior King who rules over all things invites us into a real, growing relationship with Him.

Kelli Martin

By Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, the invitation is there for us to be forgiven, to be in God's presence and to be His people. As we are His and give Him the reins, we can trust He will be true to His word and that we are under His watch. We can be strong and courageous because we trust in the great I AM and His lead.

So, don't get me wrong - I still have a wide-eyed love for horses. I just am happy to be reminded that God is stronger and more beautiful than anything else. Pray with me thanks to God for who He is. Let's pray that we see times to share more about our strong and beautiful God with someone this weekend.

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." Psalm 20:7

Verses related to this: 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, Genesis 3:14-15, Exodus 14:14, Deuteronomy 31:6.

Loving these music videos by Citizens: "Made Alive" and "I Am Living in a Land of Death."

Hold On! God's Help Is On The Way!

As I serve and share ministry with women all across our nation, I have met so many precious ones that love the Lord with all their heart, are being used in many gifted ways for God, but still have times in their lives when they need encouragement.  I thank God for the privilege of having His Gift of Encouragement and having the privilege of sharing God's Love and God's Word with others because my life has been encouraged in the same loving ways from the Lord!!  As you are encouraged by the Lord, He reminds you of the calling and purpose upon your life to share Jesus with others.  As you are encouraged by the Lord, always remember that there are people that need the Lord that may not be receiving any love or encouragement in their lives.  They are looking for God's Love and Encouragement, and as a Christian, you have the privilege of sharing with them.  Let's reach out to someone that needs the Lord and share God's Hope today!!  "With the comfort you have been given, comfort others..." 2 Cor. 1:4
Today I would like to encourage you, no matter where you are in your life.  You may be in the middle of a storm, coming out of a storm, or about to go into the storms of life....no matter what there are times in our lives that we need to hear, "Hold On!  God's Help Is On The Way!!"  That is one of my favorite praise and worship songs by Michael W. Smith & Israel Houghton.  As I share the lyrics and actual song with you, my prayer is that you will read each word and be encouraged or encourage someone else with the truths you read.  My prayer is also that as you listen to the actual song, over and over, you will "turn it up" and let God encourage you, lift your chin, and most of all pass it onto someone that God lovingly places in your life that needs His encouragement!!!!  God Loves You!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH_CeU-JNW0

People say that time will heal


But you know, they just don't feel what you feel

Times are hard but God is so good

He's never failed you, and He said He never would



He see's your tears

He fights your fears



[Chorus]

Hold on, help is on the way

He said he'd never leave you or forsake you

Stay strong

Help is on the way

He'd said he'd help you

Just reach out and take his hand



He knows your heart, He lifts your head

He's always close enough to hear every word you said

When you're weak, He said He's so much more

His arm is long enough to reach you where you are



He see's your tears

He fights your fears



[Chorus: x2]



[Repeat: x10]

Help is on the way



Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

SMITH, MICHAEL W. / BLACK, CHRISTA / SMITH, DEBBIE / HOUGHTON, ISRAEL

You Are A New Creation!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a NEW CREATION;

the old has gone, the NEW has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

It's been said that "The Victorious Evangelistic Christian Walk is a process of Daily Renewing The Mind with the TRUTH of God's Word & Being Ready To Share His Love & Truth With Others"! Romans 12:2 says it best, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will."

One of my favorite evangelists once said that one of the keys to walking in Victory with Jesus so that we will be ready to share Him with others is to renew our minds daily and get rid of any "defeatin thinkin"! Why is it so important to be careful about what our minds dwell on? The main reason is that the enemy tries to attack our minds daily and he wants to defeat us anyway he can so that we will not share Jesus with others; therefore, we must do what God says in 2 Corinthians 10: 4-5 "The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (anything that tries to get a hold on our lives that is not from God), and WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT to make it obedient to CHRIST."! This is one huge reason why I have Promises from God's Word posted everywhere that I spend time at; my sink, my desk, my laundry room, my bedside, my bathroom counter, my car, my walls in my home and office, etc... I AM DESPERATE for GOD & HIS WORD & HIS DAILY VICTORIOUS PLANS! Maybe it is because I am a first-generation Christian, and there are many "old" messages/memories from the 22 years that I was LOST. Do you ever have negative messages/memories that try to play over and over your mind...resist & reject these messages because they are NOT from The Lord!!

Please join me as we THANK GOD daily that We Are A NEW CREATION and the old is GONE and the NEW has come!! Please join me as we THANK GOD That We Are Desperate for Jesus & His Word DAILY!

Today there may be some thoughts that may come into our minds that are NOT from The Lord; perhaps thoughts of defeat, thoughts of doubt, thoughts of discouragement...any kind of thought that DOES NOT line up with the truth of GOD'S WORD we must REJECT & TAKE CAPTIVE because it is not "New Creation Thinkin"! We must RESIST & REJECT negative thoughts and do what God says in 1 Peter 1:13 "Therefore, get your MINDS ready for action, being self-disciplined, and SET your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you from Jesus Christ." We must put on our "Helmet of Salvation AND The Sword of the Spirit, which is The Word of God" (protection for the GOOD NEWS that is in our mind)! Eph.6:17 (one HUGE reason why we must study and read God's Word DAILY~Memorize a Verse for exactly what you are going through TODAY because God's Word is ALIVE & ACTIVE to help us fight the good fight!)

"Finally, brothers/sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable , whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable-if there is moral excellence and if there is any praise - dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard in me and seen in me, and the God of Peace will be with you"!! Philippians 4:8-9

When I became a Christian one of my mentors taught me the importance of ERASE & REPLACE, how do we do that? Make a list of any "defeatin thinkin" with a PENCIL and STOP thinking that way as you take the ERASER on your pencil and GET RID OF EACH DEFEATING WORD that is on the list! After we ERASE the things that God does not want us to dwell on, FILL your paper (REPLACE), computer screen, chalkboard, places in your home/office, and most of all our MINDS with God's Word/Messages/Testimonies because You are a NEW CREATION, the OLD is GONE the NEW has COME...DAILY! AMEN!!

God Wins!

God Wins Spiritual Wars, but my dear Christian friends, as His witnesses we ARE going to be in one spiritual battle after another...until Jesus returns! Today's picture is a picture of my mother and her brother (my 66 year old uncle) as I share with you one of the testimonies from their lives and mine!!

God shares specifically throughout His Word, "His Battle Plans for Believers", some key marching orders that we need to study and live out in order to be prepared to take our stand against the tactics and schemes of the devil! One reason that I am so excited about Gifted2Go is that Ephesians 6 is apart of this vital tool for women on the front lines that are sharing Jesus with others!

"Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand." Ephesians 6:10-12 HCSB

(The specific verses listed above, some of the verses that Gifted2Go are based on, gave me the battle plan that I needed as God strengthened me, clothed me with His armor so I could stand in against the enemies tactics, and equipped me with everything I would need to be prepared to stand for Him in Victory!)

Today I would like to share a personal testimony about a HUGE spiritual battle I was in and how GOD WON THE SPIRITUAL WAR when my mother went to be with the Lord after a very quick sudden death from cancer that was found after gall-bladder surgery. You must remember, as I have shared in previous blogs, that I am a first-generation Christian!! When I became a believer and follower of Jesus I began to witness to my immediate family the SPIRITUAL BATTLE began and much of this battle looked & felt like this: rejection, fear, emotional pain, nothing in common anymore, loneliness, burdened, brokenhearted, misunderstandings, and much more that every witness walks through as we battle "spiritual forces & evil tactics of the devil"! The exciting part of this testimony is what God does after every spiritual war, even if it takes YEARS...GOD BRINGS THE VICTORY...after every Spiritual battle we fight as His witness He brings THE VICTORY...it may not come about like we would like or the way that is the easiest, but the results are ALWAYS just like the cheer goes... V-I-C-T-O-R-Y...victory victory is our cry!!! It is my joy to share with you that after many battles and many tears, I had the privilege of leading and witnessing my mother come to the Lord on 2/15/92!! PRAISE YOUR NAME JESUS=VICTORY!!!! After many many years of fighting the enemy through love & prayer...GOD WON THE SPIRITUAL WAR!

Fast forward to April 3rd, 2009...my mother went to be with the Lord and at her memorial service I knew that she wanted me to share her testimony and that is what I did, by the Grace of God, but it was after much warfare because the entire room was full of extended family members and her friends that NEEDED TO BE SAVED!!!

The battle was intense the days before her memorial service, the day of her memorial service, and even today-the days after her memorial service and the battle looks like this from those that surrounded me that still need Jesus: distance, rejection, anger, accusations, lies, judgement, withholding of love, the lost & backslidden medicating their pain/grief with alcohol, darkness, confusion, the enemy actually trying to cut me off from my praying friends through lack of the ability to communicate by cellphone & computer networks that were down, so much more it would take an entire chapter to describe...fast forward to the memorial service where GOD brought His VICTORY...God led us to an anointed pastor & his wife, Brother Tony Lynn, through one of our praying friends in Michigan, Julie Scheving (Julie is a State Women's Evangelism leader in Michigan and she has recently had a stroke-one week after my mother's memorial service, please pray for Julie as the Lord keeps healing her) My mom had recently relocated to Toledo Ohio/Erie Michigan area to be closer to her younger brother, my Uncle Larry (and one of the biggest hearts desires my mother had was that my Uncle Larry would accept Jesus as his Savior)...as my mother's memorial service was being planned, the Lord laid it on my heart specific worship songs to be played (one of them can be heard at the bottom of this blog) and specific words to share as I opened up my mother's Bible and shared specifically from what she had written in it...as Brother Tony offered an invitation to accept Jesus at the end of my mother's memorial service. As Bro. Tony led everyone in an invitation to accept Jesus prayer, word for word, seated behind me my 66 year old Uncle Larry ACCEPTED JESUS AS HIS PERSONAL LORD & SAVIOR!!!!! All I could do was cry out to God with Persevering PRAISE and visualize my mother in heaven having one of the greatest prayers and desires of her heart answered by God through her death and her testimony being shared after MANY spiritual Battles...GOD WON THE WAR!!!!VICTORY VICTORY that's the Christian Battle CRY!!!!!!! The picture above is a picture of my dear SAVED 66 year old Uncle Larry pictured with my mother that is now rejoicing in Heaven for ONE dear soul that has been saved through her TESTimony!! I pray this blog and one of the worship songs that the Lord led me to share at my mother's memorial service will encourage you in the battle you may be in or may be about to enter...let us all remember that there is always VICTORY in JESUS!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6XcXQoSlPg&feature=fvst
(I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin)

Who is on your prayer list that you are trusting God to bring SPIRITUAL VICTORY in their lives? NEVER GIVE UP!! Let's stop right now and PRAY for those in our lives that NEED JESUS as GOD SENDS HIS MESSAGE in WORDS & ACTIONS to point them all one step closer TO THE CROSS! IN JESUS' NAME..AMEN!!!!!

♥VICTORY in JESUS♥

"For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the VICTORY that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only thee who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."!

1 John 5:4-5 (NIV)

When is the last time you watched a sporting event? In every event there is the thrill of VICTORY and the agony of defeat!

As we just experienced a victory at a college baseball game, my thoughts turned to the many times in our Christian walk that we are faced with some of the same things that take place much like what athletes go through.

Here is a list of a few things that happen in our lives on "the field" of evangelistic ministry: opposition, things that are for you, things that are against you, rules, time, authority, rejection, pressure, encouragement, discouragement, good calls, bad calls, cheering and booing, ups and downs, errors, mistakes, good plays, working together, teammates, coaches, role models, trainers, on the field, on the bench, safe, out, sportsmanship, friendship, and much more...

We see in 1 John 5:4-5, that because of JESUS we will always have VICTORY, but "by faith" we must daily overcome the difficulties and defeats that try to come into our lives! Without the competition and battle, there could be no Victory. Without the ups and downs of real life living we would not appreciate the Thrill of VICTORY in JESUS!

As a witness in a world that needs the Lord, take heart, Jesus has overcome the world! Just like in a sporting even there are innings, quarters, rounds, matches...as a witness for Jesus Christ it often feels like we are in one overtime match after another battling towards VICTORY and wondering how each situation will work out....Good News, there is Always Victory In JESUS no matter what we have to overcome in this old world!

As a witness in situations that you would not believe, I can honestly share with you that if it was not for the Battles, the Victories would not be so sweet in our Lord!

It will be worth it all because of Jesus, and someone needs to hear those very words TODAY! I am amazed at the opportunities to share "worth it all" words of Victory over and over with those that are one step closer to the Cross, one step closer to a life Full of VICTORY in JESUS♥!

GO GOD!! JESUS ALWAYS WINS!! Who needs to hear us Cheering Them On Towards VICTORY?!

Let's Shout Evangelistic Encouragement From The Bleachers Into The Precious Lives That God Places In Our Path Towards Victory in JESUS!

Cheering You On In Jesus With Joyful Everlasting ♥VICTORY♥

The Battle Is The Lords!

Jesus told him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written . . ."

Matthew 4:10 (HCSB)

As we share Jesus we need to be ready to put the enemy in his place! Tell him to "GO AWAY!", not if, but WHEN he tries to throw his schemes at you..because JESUS SAID SO~AMEN!

Ephesians chapter 6 is another passage that all witnesses need to CAMP OUT in over and over! Let's take some time today and the rest of the week to read Ephesians 6:10-20 and really dig into the PROMISES given us through THE ARMOR OF GOD!! I am so excited that part of the new gifted2go resources, that will be coming soon include Ephesians Chapter 6, because warfare is such a HUGE part of the witnesses day in and day out experiences to be equipped to overcome!

I have been attacked, as a first-generation Christian, in more ways than I could ever describe to you, the LORD keeps my heart very full of HIS discernment as HE teaches me more and more about the enemy so that I can constantly STAND FIRM with THE ARMOR OF GOD securely on! But, it is my job to daily PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD so that WHEN the schemes of the enemy come I CAN STAND and let THE LORD FIGHT EVERY BATTLE!!

As Jesus said, we also need to say to the enemy "GO AWAY, satan! FOR IT IS WRITTEN...!!!! Those are the best marching orders I could hear today as I believe God will take care of every battle, how about you? Are you under attack, PRAISE THE LORD, because the enemy could care less about us unless we are allowing Jesus to make a difference as His Light & His Salt! You are doing something RIGHT if you are in the enemies cross-arrows...take courage...JESUS OVERCOMES IT ALL!!! GO GOD!! GO AWAY, satan...GOD ALWAYS WINS!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EDz1Sl5kAk HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!!!